(19)
(11) EP 0 399 675 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
23.01.1991 Bulletin 1991/04

(43) Date of publication A2:
28.11.1990 Bulletin 1990/48

(21) Application number: 90304723.1

(22) Date of filing: 01.05.1990
(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)5B01D 5/00, F25B 1/10, F25B 11/02
(84) Designated Contracting States:
BE DE FR GB IT NL

(30) Priority: 22.05.1989 US 354860

(71) Applicant: Hewitt, J. Paul
Houston, Texas 77079 (US)

(72) Inventor:
  • Hewitt, J. Paul
    Houston, Texas 77079 (US)

(74) Representative: Cropp, John Anthony David et al
MATHYS & SQUIRE 100 Grays Inn Road
London, WC1X 8AL
London, WC1X 8AL (GB)


(56) References cited: : 
   
       


    (54) Closed system refrigeration using a turboexpander


    (57) The present invention utilizes a turboexpander coupled with a compressor in place of the Joules-Thomson expansion valve to achieve higher efficiency in a conventional refrigeration used for removing condensable hydrocarbons or chemical vapors from air which has been contaminated during loading and unloading at bulk plants. The more efficient turboexpansion cycle allows the use of saturated lower aliphatic hydrocarbons, such as ethane, as refrigerant, the use of which would be precluded from normal Joules-Thomson expansion cycles. The turboexpander work is used to drive a compressor which partially recompresses the expanded refrigerant gas, providing an essentially isentropic expansion. Because the turboexpander and the compressor operate on the same fluid, the mass flows through both are equal thereby alleviating control and loading problems.





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